its been a while...

so camp was amazing.

i learned two things while i was at camp:

1. i now have a better understanding of spiritual warfare.

2. im able to do way more work with no energy left than i thought i would be able to do.


ive never been so spiritually attacked in my entire life. i was pretty much sick from week one. its amazing to see God take over where you know you cant go on. i got to a point that i had nothing left to give. no energy, no uplifting spirit, nothing. thats how it was every morning. it never failed that by the end of the day my selfish ambitions had gotten pushed aside by God and had been replaced with an energy and excitement only from Him.

it was definitely an experience and i hope that i get the chance to go back next year. there will be a lot of staff that wont be coming back but i think its just something about that camp that im drawn to aside from the people that work there.

even though the summer is over and im kind of bummed im not getting up every day to hang out with kids at the pool or play and sing in the chapel, im definitely glad to be back and be helping out at church and get my life on the road as far as going to a 4 year college. im looking to transfer out to anderson university here in the spring. i plan on majoring in music education and teaching in schools or private lessons. im still not sure about that part but i know i want to teach instrumental music.

hopefully ill have more time to update now. until next time.

"whatever You're doing inside of me, it feels like chaos, somehow its peace." - sanctus real

God is love.

-mike

God is really amazing me here lately. tuesday night bible study was too good, people were really sharing their hearts and i honestly believe that God showed up and touched lives in some way.

so im off to camp here pretty soon. i got the job (another act of God). its gonna be awesome. im way too excited but its pretty bittersweet cause im leaving a lot of my friends for 7-8 weeks. ill be back on weekends hopefully.

here is a great video of a new favorite blues artist of mine doing a johnny cash cover. you all should recognize this one.



God is love.

-mike

blessings in disguise

so frustration led into total and complete worship tonight. its a long story but the basic rundown goes: we were asked to play a couple songs for the whole church tonight for a special service. at first we were too loud and we weren't really sure if we could really play any quieter. time was running low seeing that we were going to be going prayer walking around the community within the next 30 minutes. so as a band we decided that if we were even going to play (most of us were set on not playing cause we were too frustrated and in the wrong mindset to lead any type of worship service) we should atleast stick together and get back at the same time. we walked around the community and prayed for the families living in the neighborhood we were assigned and at the end we all met back up and prayed in a circle in the neighborhoods little community center area thing (i really dont quite know what it was, it looked like a gazebo with a parking lot). we prayed first of all as a group for the community and secondly for guidance on whether or not we should play. on the way back to the church i wasnt even still sure if we should play but when we got to the church we talked about it and decided just to go through with it. the first song was hosanna by hillsong united. it went very well and people seemed to be responding. we closed the set with in christ alone which is a great, awesome hymn. by the third verse i heard atleast 15-20 people start clapping and really just praising God. we finished that last verse and chorus and pastor looked at us and said "play that last verse again" and so we did and it got even more of a response. im not quite sure what it looked like cause i dont even think i had my eyes open for any of that song but i do remember hearing many, many voices singing loudly. it was pretty powerful. God really showed up and took our frustration right out of us and turned it to joy, praise, and worship. its funny how some of the best worship services always seem to start with a very bleak outlook.

i will possibly be working at a christian camp this summer leading worship. a friend asked me if i would be interested. the funny thing was, 5 minutes before she asked that i was praying that God would help me find a job for the summer. the best part is that the guy thats over the praise band at this camp is the same guy i led worship with at the channel (a christian coffee shop here in town) for a bible study they did on sunday nights around christmas. it was a blessing and a half.

tomorrow im recording some cello parts for my friends new cd. (you can check her music here) she wasn't too happy with the way the first cd sounded so shes making another run at it and hopefully we'll have some of the new stuff up by the end of the summer. im pretty stoked about it. i recorded some for her last year but shes got some great new songs, some worship, some just about life, and some about love. its a good healthy mix. recording from 10-3ish and then maybe a cookout at my house with some friends and then definitely a bonfire with some smoreage goin down (if smoreage is even a word).

three words on my weekend so far: God is good.

three words to always keep in mind: God is love.

-mike

busy busy...

sorry i haven't posted in a while. its been quite busy round these parts. things are going good. im really excited for our co-worker bible study on tuesday night. we did our first one last week and one of the main guys that i was trying to reach out to talked to me this weekend and he said that he got a lot out of it. i was glad to see that God is starting to move in his life (again or maybe for the first time? im not sure). but i really dont have the time to spell out the whole week, nor would you want to read all of that mess. so in its place im going to leave you with the video of a very favorite band of mine.

Anathallo - Kasa No Hone

im going to the hospital today. one of our older members in the church is having a pretty serious surgery and is not guaranteed to make it off the surgery table. its all been pretty short notice seeing that he just found all this out about a week or so ago. its things like these that make you think of what you're doing with your life. he was pretty optimistic about the whole thing. he said if the worst that could happen is he goes to see his God and his wife then so be it. i think this is the root of faith. when you have nothing left and you know that its going to be ok. please pray sometime between now and this afternoon (4 pm on 5/14/08). i will be with some of our pastors and i would imagine some other members from the church. hopefully we'll have a big prayer session before we get any news. i would love to see a miracle but Gods will is going to be done either way.

God IS love. remember that.

-mike

honey nut cheerios...

just finished a bowl of them...pretty good stuff. i highly suggest checking them out.

so the past week has been a lot of fun. i have had my fair share of hanging out with friends, playing guitar, eating, sleeping (or lack thereof), longboarding, driving, working, and playing "sorry" (the board game). its been pretty classic if you ask me.

tomorrow is the first day of our bible study with our co-workers. i really hope and pray that God and his Spirit show up and move in big ways (or little ways, we'd love to see either). im kind of nervous to see how many and who shows up but i know that whatever the outcome it is strictly what God wants of it for that night. im not completely sure what is going to happen since it is the first one. it might be one of us talking the whole time or it might be a huge group discussion (more of what we're hoping for). i would rather it be discussion based cause i really would like to find out more of where my co-workers are at with their walk.

im excited for this weekend. our friend julie from work is turning 20 and she is having a 1920's themed party. im probably gonna wear my suit with my black fedora hat. it should be a good time. if im lucky maybe there will be finger foods. pigs in a blanket, cookies, chips. if you want to get really fancy with your finger foods you get chicken fingers, cheese squares, crackers for the cheese squares to go alongside, and some off the wall dessert that no one really has ever had but eventually comes to love. im still gonna look good no matter what. :)

"i will not keep silent, my salvation reigns in me!" - fixed til tuesday

God bless.

-mike

staying up WAY too late...

and that is quite literally what i have been doing since wednesday night. staying up waaaaay too late. its been too much fun though. ive been hanging out with some friends of mine from work and getting to meet a lot of new people (their friends). it tends to mostly be something completely random and off the wall like going to play tag on the playground equipment but the only rule is you cant touch the mulch or you are it (a lot harder than it sounds), or playing ultimate frisbee at the ymca around 11 or 12 at night, or even just playing cranium turbo til 3 in the morning. i definitely dont know my fair share of barry manilow songs so when the "humdinger" card gets picked and someone has to hum "copacabana" and the whole team is depending on my point, that point usually doesn't get earned. oh well. we had fun.

im excited for this tuesday, im going to my first atlanta braves game with alyse, will, wimberly, and amanda. it should be a good time.

our bible study that we are planning on doing with our co-workes is probably gonna be focused around romans. it seems to be just a good all around book that can apply to a lot of things that people are dealing with.


im worn out so im going to bed, its about 1:45 right now and ive already tore up my leg longboarding as well as fell off the slack line this evening and popped my head on the ground, neither felt good to say the least. but my friend josh did manage to get some good pics of us skating today.

God is love.

-mike

ouch...

exams are starting to take their toll. im gonna keep this post short for the fact that im about to go study math. i just took my psych exam this morning, went to work, and went straight from work to my western civ exam. i think i did well on both today so im not too worried about it but tomorrow is my big day. music and math. be praying for me.

"lead me to the cross where Your love poured out, bring me to my knees Lord and lay me down, rid me of myself i belong to you, lead me to the cross." - united "lead me to the cross"

God is love.

-mike

a good ol' prayer meetin...

during the course of the day our pastor had a prayer session laid on his heart and thats exactly what we did tonight for sunday night worship. it was VERY refreshing. i have heard so much lately about the power of prayer whether its from speakers at fca, my pastor, or from reading a blog from one of my favorite worship leaders. i think that its too often that i underestimate prayer. i must be the first to admit that my "prayer life" right now is kind of weak and i think this is what God is trying so desperately to point out to me. i should be the first to know and testify to the power of prayer because prayer is quite honestly why i am the way i am today. it was due to the prayer and the persistent christian love of my friends that i came to know what it was to live a life for God.

in light of this would you please pray with me about these things:

1) a couple friends and i are trying to start up a bible study with our co-workers. we are all at different levels of spiritual maturity and i could honestly say some probably know nothing of God or want nothing to do with God. mostly just that Gods will with this bible study would be so clear and evident to us.

2) i still have to find a summer job (barf)

3) continue to pray for my friend and his vision for a skate ministry at our church. we both believe that there is a huge need for a local skate ministry but so many churches around here are too worried about insurance and what not that they are missing out on great opportunities.

if you have ANY prayer request you can leave them here (i think there is an anonymous posting ability on this one so if you need it to be anonymous you can) and i will definitely be in prayer with and for you.

"stir it up in our hearts, a passion for Your name." - tim hughes "consuming fire"

God is love.

-mike

its true...

the greenville drive got their stank handed to them tonight by the asheville tourists...honestly guys, the tourists beat you?

agenda for saturday (so far) :
1. halo and breakfast (probably fruity pebbles) with johnson @ 10
2. taking my amp to phils music to find out what is wrong (probably bad tubes)
3. should be studying but i dont really know if that will happen

its been a long but entertaining day. im calling it a night.

God is love.

-mike

"wow" is the only way to describe it...

fca at clemson last night was amazing. first off we saw God working before we even left greenville. one of our friends that we have been talking to about our faith usually can't stay out past 10:30 or so on the weekdays since she is still in high school, but last night she was able to go with us even with her mother knowing it was gonna be like 12 or 12:30 before we got back. the only way i can explain that happening is God. it was a HUGE blessing to have her come with us cause it was just a confirmation that He IS hearing our prayers about our friends. she came away from the night with a renewed perspective of what it is to walk with God. she saw all the students worshipping, she heard music praising God that wasn't just piano and organ (not that there is anything wrong with that), she heard a student get up and preach/share his faith with a passion like you wouldn't believe, and im sure if she saw my other friend and i worshipping she probably thought we were nuts cause it was getting pretty "bapticostal" as my pastor would say (i think that means we get pretty crunk but we dont run pews..maybe).

the speaker was great. the one thing that stuck out to me was "if you aggressively seek God, He will aggressively seek you". it made me sit back and think "where have i been and what have i been doing? im completely wasting my time". not that i've been up to any scandelous activity, but i just fill up my time with other meaningless crap that doesn't do ANYTHING for the Kingdom of God.

so as for now, thats all thats on my heart. i was blessed beyond my imagination last night and im so pumped...i have a feeling this is going to be a huge year for myself and others. we have to be on the brink of something now, im convinced of it.

instead of just reading this quote please think on it as well. its pretty simple but very profound or atleast to me it is.

"God IS love and love IS real." - mewithoutyou

-mike

wednesday...oh wednesday...

so as many of you may already know, wednesday is my busiest day of the week for myself. right now its classes from 11-1:45 and then straight to church to be setting up, practicing, and leading worship, all of which spans from about 2-8:30. today was any normal wednesday, except for the fact that we had to break down all the sound equipment after service and move it out of the fellowship hall. its the joys of not having a youth room because the youth group outgrew the old room and theres nowhere else to permanently put us for now. the church IS working on it though so praise God for that. i had a good talk with a very good friend of mine afterwards while we chilled in the church parking lot after going out to eat with everyone. we talked about girls, the church, longboards, and music. just some good ol boys never meanin no harm if you ask me. so just in case anyone was wondering here is the set list from tonight.

you are my joy - david crowder band
(insert prayer here, posed a good opportunity to keep the flow of the service without just dead air between songs)
how great thou art - matt redman
hosanna - hillsong united

hosanna was our new song that we were all highly inspired by at passion conference. im not completely sure how well worship went tonight but i think God used it to touch someone even though i wasn't able to see the direct result, at least i pray that God used the worship set to touch lives tonight.

tomorrow is another day. thursday to be exact. psych class at 11. work at 2. clemson fca to see my boy ryan jam it out for the Lord with the clemson fca praise band. im so proud.

God is love.

-mike

ugh...finals...

so ive never really been very studious...thats really the only way to put it. im always near failing when it gets around to exam time. this happens to be yet another one of those times where im pretty sure if i dont do well on the final that im gonna have to retake these classes. i must admit that ive been preeeeeeeeetty slack this year. i figured taking on 4 classes would make me feel like a real student and that i'd get stuff done but when it got around to doing the homework i never did. i even skipped a project in my music class just cause i procrastinated it til the last week and when i needed to go see a concert with a program but i couldnt find one in enough time that fit my schedule. so, i really dont know how this semester is gonna end up.

on another semi-related note (goes along with the previous frustration) im gonna have to find a job here pretty soon just for the summer. im not going back to first team (or atleast i hope not). oh the joys of working at the after school program. it seems well worth it though.

God is love.

-mike

if i only had a good title for this one...

so firstly, to explain the title... my friend and i were talking a minute or two ago about how he feels he is being called to open a skate shop. he's only 18 now and he is a very talented mechanic and has thought he was going to be doing that the rest of his life. his parents think he is crazy but he came to me with the idea and asked me what i thought. i told him that even though it was a crazy idea i would imagine that most people though noah was pretty crazy until the floods came. we will be praying hard about this and hopefully it might become a reality someday and we can look back and say "man, God blesses and has been so good".

secondly, i would like to say hello to alyse, amanda, and the others (alyse and i went to high school together) over at the Hominy Blog and i got one mostly so i would be able to comment on their blog cause its awesome and all of you should read it. but i also figured that i'd post some thoughts on daily life in here as well.

hopefully you guys enjoyed this post and im sure there will be more where it came from later on.

God is love.

-mike